The Rangers' 2012 pitching staff just took shape and so did the rest of their offseason. The defending American League champions agreed with Joe Nathan on a two-year deal that includes a team option for 2014. Dave Pepe of Pro Agents, Inc. negotiated a $14.75MM guarantee for the four-time All-Star. Nathan will earn $7MM in 2012 and 2013 and the club holds a $9MM option for 2014 ($750K buyout). Nathan can earn up to $1MM in incentives based on games finished, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, and the 2014 option can vest based on games finished in '13.
The Rangers announced that Neftali Feliz is finally headed to Texas' rotation. After successfully converting C.J. Wilson and Alexi Ogando into starters, the Rangers will attempt to bolster their rotation with a converted reliever for a third consecutive spring. However, the Rangers aren't out on starters, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. There's less pressure for the Rangers to over-spend on Wilson or another free agent arm now that they have an established arm at the back of their bullpen and five starters in Feliz, Ogando, Colby Lewis, Derek Holland and Matt Harrison.
Nathan, who turns 37 tomorrow, missed the entire 2010 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. The Houston native posted a 4.84 ERA with 8.7 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 34.9% ground ball rate in 44 2/3 innings this past season, saving 14 games. His average fastball velocity dropped to 92.3 mph in 2011 after sitting in the 93-95 mph range from 2002-09.
Nathan, an unranked free agent, won't cost the Rangers a draft pick and his former team, the Twins, won't obtain a compensatory pick. The Twins declined a $12.5MM option for Nathan after the regular season, but maintained interest in their longtime closer.
MLBTR's Tim Dierkes ranked Nathan 48th on his list of top 50 free agents. Bryan Grosnick breaks the move down from a fantasy baseball perspective at CloserNews.com.
T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com first reported the deal and added specifics. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, Jon Heyman of SI.com and Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram added detail. Photo courtesy Icon SMI.
Now what? -Sandy Alderson
I got Broxton going to the Mets.
Broxton is a good fit
Probably Brad Lidge. He’ll probably pitch as well as Nathan except is guaranteed to blow every save against the Phillies. But that’s nothing we’re not used to by now.
K-ROD!!!!!
Good signing, particularly if they plan to move Neftali to the rotation.
Nice, that makes me 0/5 or something.
can you check to see how you are doing in that?
mlbtraderumors.com/2012freeagentcontest
There is a link to the standings on the right side of the page under MLBTR Features.
Yep, look that way —>
Free Agent Contest Leaderboard under MLBTR Features
Always comes up as a white, blank page after I log in.
This puts me at .200, but at least I’m “hitting” better than Adam Dunn for the moment.
Damn, really wanted the Jays to sign him.
He might get a first place vote next year for the MVP
Must be serious about Feliz starting this season.
If they don’t resign CJ are they planning on moving Feliz to the rotation? If not, that is one stacked bullpen.
EDIT: Nevermind, posted before it says Feliz likely going into the rotation
Joe Nathan, really?
Yeah, really.
If they’re going to move Feliz to the rotation, they’ll have a few guys that could close now, and if he doesn’t work out as a starter, they’ll just have one hell of a bullpen.
Hmmmm See ya Joe. Good Luck in Texas
I’m not so sure how getting Nathan means Feliz to the rotation. Let’s see what C.J Wilson does.
And let’s see what Joe Nathan does.
It’s basically one big question mark being put in the back of their bullpen and creating another in the rotation. It could work out for both, but they should still go after Wilson and/or trade another starter for a front line starter.
If the Rangers don’t put Adams in the Closer role they are dumb. There is a great chance he’ll be the #1 ranked closer after 2012. I’ve watched Adams pitch for 3 years
I’m inclined to agree. Nathan will have to earn the closer’s role over Adams, and I don’t know if he’ll be able to do it.
Feliz was going to the rotation regardless of what happens with CJ.
Feliz was going to the rotation regardless of what happens with CJ.
Feliz to the rotation is definitely a plus. If Nathan can regain his form, this could really help the Rangers. Question now is what’s the cost.
Good buy-low option for closer, and it’s not like Adams couldn’t step in if Nathan falters. And it’s made even better by the fact that it highlights a Feliz move to the rotation.
Wow, I didn’t even realize Nathan was a FA. That really says a lot about how far he has fallen over the years.
He had a 12.5 million dollar option that the Twins declined due to the recent TJ surgery. Can’t pay that much when you don’t know what you’re going to get. He was decent this season though and got better as it went on.
I don’t question why they declined, I’m just saying Nathan went from one of the best closers in baseball to pretty much an afterthought, at least to me.
Ah, I was just letting you know how he became a FA.
AA should sign Broxton asap, id rather him not trade for a closer , Broxton is the best/cheapest option out now.
Who knows, maybe he can swindle the A’s for Bailey (though if there’s one GM in baseball who I think could match wits with AA, it’s Beane).
LOL at everyone acting as if AA is God.
Jealousy.
Not quite, but close.
Sincerely,
God
Broxton needs surgery.
Broxton needs surgery.
But I don’t want Feliz in the rotation. What about what I want?!
damn I’m doing terrible in this competition!!!
WOW did not expect this cannot wait to see the $ amount here.
Good signing for the Rangers. Should be at a fair price and this allows them to bolster their rotation.
Kind of surprising he got a 2 year deal
You know, I wish them luck, but I don’t know if the Rangers can pull off another succesful setup/closer-to-starter transition. Can any team catch lightning in a bottle three years in a row?
Lightning in a bottle implies that they go there on luck. Back to back isn’t luck. lol
I didn’t mean the postseason, I meant successfully converting a back-end guy into a starter like they did with Wilson and Ogando.
I would say catching lightning in a bottle makes sense for CJ because he was older than Alexi and Neftali when they did/ will do it…but experience as a reliever and staying in great shape all you have to do is stretch out and learn to not throw all out every time…a great training staff, pitching coach and medical staff it really shouldnt be that hard for good young relievers to translate over to the rotation its having success in the rotation thats hard
Thank God we were able to keep Mike Maddux…the man knows how to handle young pitchers.
Yea, Ogando was pure luck. We didn’t know he could be that good as a starter. Wilson wanted to start and the Rangers gave him the chance to. Feliz came up through the system as a starter. It shouldn’t be a horrible adjustment.
How do you catch lightning in a bottle?
Sincerely,
The Orioles
It’s not about catching lightning in a bottle. It’s about successful scouting and development.
As a Twins fan this news is yes, heartbraking. I hope Nathan recoveres from his surgery well and pitches well for the rest of his career. Please Twins, go after Francisco Rodriguez, and sign a starting pitcher and either sign Josh Willingham, or resign Cuddyer or Kubel.
Nathan…. why? Isn’t the back end of the bullpen what killed the 2011 World Series, twice? Why downgrade, or settle for Nathan?
Ya but they’re upgrading their rotation. It’s worth it.
No.Feliz will stink in the rotation. Once he gets past the 3rd inning, his fastball will flatten out and dip down to a hittable range. His arm isnt going to make it either. Once we get to May, he will tire out.
The Rangers fan in me hears you 100%, but the team has made huge strides in converting relief pitchers into fantastic starters.
ever heard of innings limits? as you know the rangers also have one of the best hitting coaches in the game he will teach hiim how to not go all or nothing like one does in the pen
He was a starter his whole career in the minors. If those were going to be issues, he would have been a reliever before he got called up.
Feliz has one of the more fluent releases in the majors. It’s not a hard motion on his arm. Most of the time it looks like he’s just tossing the ball…then it comes out at 99-101.
Ya but they’re upgrading their rotation. It’s worth it.
Low cost investment that frees up money for a run at a low ball deal for Oswalt and big package deal for Yu Darvish. Could a rotation of Darvish, Oswalt, Lewis, Holland and Feliz be waiting to happen?
I just don’t know what to think about Darvish. It would be devastating to spend $100MM and have the guy flop.
Oh, and Ogando will be starting again next season.
I definitely agree about the investment, personally I don’t think $100MM is worth an unknown. The reason I call Darvish an unknown is because he hasn’t played in the MLB before, this level of baseball is very different than in the East.
I’m curious to see how Darvish will do in the USA, should he be listed. I’ve always been skeptical of Japanese players coming over here, but I wish the best of luck to him for whoever he plays with next season; if it’s the Rangers, 2012 World Series! (winning this time, of course)
For $7MM per after the year he had last year?
Or maybe the Texas Two Time Defending AL Champions.
I wish other teams would follow suit with the Rangers and understand that starting pitchers are infinitely more valuable than relievers and that the narrative of having a “lock down” closer is just silly. CJ, Ogando, and now Feliz.
A lock down closer would have been awesome in game 6….
Right, because having one inning where he couldn’t locate a fastball outweighs the other 162.2 innings of his career.
Yeah, it does when the World Series is on the line.
Your right, it makes sense that a guy should be evaluated by half of a percent (0.55% to be exact) of his career despite him being dominant for the other 181.1 (Including 18.2 exceptional playoff innings) innings of his career
even mariano blew a save in the WS, it happens. even the best ones aren’t perfect
It happens.
It happens.
Nice move by the Rangers, but I don’t really like the idea of converting all these solid, young closers who will get better with experience (Feliz, Aroldis) into SP. Then again, they have had success with that, so who knows.
Feliz went through the minors as a starter. The only reason he ever became a closer is because Frankie Francisco faltered early in 2010.
Exactly right. Feliz was meant to be in the rotation from the time the Braves signed him.
I like this signing for Texas.
2 years 7 mill per? Hmmm not what i expected at all. This might have raised Broxton price for teams looking for a cheaper option at closer now that Nathan is off the market.
Highly doubt it raises Broxtons price. He’s coming off a serious injury and was never as dominant as Nathan was for a long period of time.
nathan’s coming off a severe injury too, though granted hes a little further removed. broxton is also like 10 years younger than nathan. very good chance broxton gets a great deal now, especially given the number of teams involved.
its incomprehensible how teams have been dishing out money to relievers thus far, but thats not going to stop the trend from continuing, especially since teams dont have to give up picks anymore. fully expecting a multiyear deal for jon rauch now, lol.
Nathan and Broxton are two separate cases though. Broxton has proved nothing. He’s looking at incentives until he does.
I hate to break this to you, but Jonathan Broxton is completely cooked. Average fastball velocity was a career-low in 2011, down over three and a half MPH from his career peak. This stuff doesn’t come back for relievers without major surgery, and even then it’s iffy.
If someone really wants to trust Jonathan Broxton as their closer, they’re going to wind up really, really regretting it.
Didnt realise you were the doctor? I’m aware of his drop in velocity down to 94-95( might as well be a change up ? am i right? ) but seriously id still take the risk , the money wouldnt kill most teams unless your pittsburgh and if he bounces back you could end up getting a steal.
Not the doctor, but I’ve researched reliever breakdowns over the last 20 years. Once it goes, it doesn’t come back. Well, unless your name is Billy Wagner. If you want to pay Broxton with the hopes that he’s Billy Wagner, go right ahead.
I’m happy for him. He got more than I thought and more than I wanted the Twins to pay. He was a huge part of this team and the franchise’s all time leader in saves. I’ll miss him for sure.
Sorry if this sounds stupid, but why would the Rangers want to move Feliz to the rotation when he has such a good year as their closer?
The Rangers experienced success with a similar move of C.J. Wilson (and a move of Alexi Ogando from the bullpen to the starting rotation).
Plus, a starter is more valuable than a closer.
Because you get 60 or so innings from a relief pitcher and hopefully 150 inning from a starter.
Because even the most elite of closers are only as valuable as a middle of the rotation guy. If the Rangers think Feliz can be a 2-3 starter then he’s more valuable to the team as a starter.
Because the plan for Feliz has always been for him to be a starter. It would have happened last season (he was our best starting pitcher coming out of spring training) but they didn’t feel like they had somebody that could replace what he gave at the end of games so back to the closer’s role he went. Next year we’re not going to have that problem.
Because the plan for Feliz has always been for him to be a starter. It would have happened last season (he was our best starting pitcher coming out of spring training) but they didn’t feel like they had somebody that could replace what he gave at the end of games so back to the closer’s role he went. Next year we’re not going to have that problem.
I hope the Mets grab Frank Francisco. The market is running out of closers with two first names.
maybe you could talk Ryan Franklin out of retirement!
Keep in mind that the 2nd year after Tommy John is traditionally the strong year….last year was Nathan’s first year after surgery and obviously bumpy….now comes the full bounceback….plus this opens up money to go after another starter since CJ will be a goner
I’ve always like Joe Nathan, but I think Mike Adams could be a better closer next season. Either way, he’s going to rack up a ton of saves for the Rangers even if he isn’t his old self.
well all the silly teams are spending their money early. Prices should be more reasonable. two years is about 18 months too long for this contract. Joe is closer to 40 then 30.
First Bobby Jenks, now Nathan out of the Central. Those two the Tigers couldnt do anything against for years. WooHoo.
Let’s hope you’re right if the Tigers and Rangers meet up in the playoffs again next year 🙂
Thought the Sox might have taken a chance on Nathan to replace Pap since he didn’t cost a pick..perhaps they felt it was redudant and/or too risky given last season’s Jenks deal. Though I’d rather have Nathan than Jenks..
There’s also Broxton if you want to add some extra baggage to your team.
Just not sold on Bard as the closer yet, and even if he does get the job we’ll still need a hard-throwing closer-type to set up for him because Jenks is far from a sure thing..
Don’t see how this is going to help the Rangers unless he can suck out some magic out of that arm. Hope the Rangers are planning to add other pieces to their bullpen because the odds of this move panning out are not good.
I rather Adams in the 8th. Koji could be traded as well. THis to me means CJ is going to walk and I am quite alright with that.
I don’t want CJ to leave but he’s just not worth what he’s going to get. It is what it is.
What a crazy overpay. Nathan’s velo last year was way down from career norms, and if he doesn’t get that back he’s a middle reliever. Texas has made some brilliant moves in the last couple of years, but this ain’t one of ’em.
I heard he got better during the year as he recovered. I’d like to get some reports from as many Twins fans as possible who saw this guy more than I did. Any Twins fans got any inside info?
FanGraphs velo charts suggest that his velocity did tick upwards a little bit as the season went on and he finished recovering and strengthening his arm, but not to pre-surgery levels. It’s an enormous risk, and one that I wouldn’t bet $14/15MM on.
He did. Fewer walks, fewer runs. 1.00 whip in the 2nd half. .207 BA against. .263 OBP against. Location was better. Velocity increased. Confidence was higher. He was much more like the old Nathan in the second half. I expect big things.
I’ve watched almost every Twins game since Nathan became a Twin. What makes Nathan good is his excellent command of his pitch’s. He has 4 pitches he use’s and if he spots the ball where he wants he is almost un-hittable. Command is the last thing to come back after TJ and Nathan’s biggest problem when he was getting hit was his command. His command was coming back slowley last year but not to the point where it was before surgery. Example: When he was on he could make any batter swing at his slider because it looked like a strike coming in and would dart down and out of the strike zone. Alot of swings and misses. Last year alot of the batters could lay of his slider because he couldn’t command it as well and they could tell it wasn’t a strike. They could sit on the fastball and he couldn’t spot that as well either. That is why he got hit alot harder. If he gets any semblence of his command he had before surgery he will do well even if he’s lost some velocity.
No it wasn’t. Nathan always starts the season in the high 80’s, low 90’s. He was averaging about 92-93 last year for most of the year. That isn’t down very much considering he’s been at 93-94 since about 2008.
Fangraphs (empirical data) disagrees with you mightily. Average fastball velocity for three straight seasons from ’05 to ’07 was exactly 94.8 (the same in every year, crazily enough). That was his peak. In ’11, it was 92.3, a career-low, and over a mile per hour lower than his ’08 and ’09 average mph readings. That’s significant.
Do you have a reading problem? You just agreed with me because that’s exactly what I said. He was averaging 93-94 since 2008 and last year was at 92-93. I didn’t say he was at 94+ after 2008, because he wasn’t.
You just agreed with me, but said I was wrong…and no, one to two MPH’s off after TJ surgery is not significant. It’s normal.
You were wrong about him typically starting off the year in the upper-80’s. Very much wrong, based on averages and velocity charts – i.e. if he started the year in the upper-80’s and finished 93-94, he’d be somewhere lower than 93 on average. So, no, I don’t have a reading problem, but thanks for your concern.
And no, that’s not normal. Not two years removed from the surgery. He should be back to full strength in terms of stuff, it’s only his command that should be shaky. His command was fine, but his stuff is still missing velocity.
Read every article about Nathan early in the season. Even he says he starts off in the upper 80’s and lower 90’s, so no…I’m not wrong. This has been discussed about him for years.
He had surgery in March of 2010. How in the world is that 2+ years? In March 2012 it will be two years. I can’t remember the exact month, but he started pitching again last year before he was even a year removed from the surgery (it was somewhere around 11 months). Last year (2011 season) was his first year after TJ surgery. Again, you’re wrong. Velocity being down in the year after TJ surgery is completely normal.
If you mean freakin’ Spring Training, then fine. Everyone starts low in ST and builds up for the season. But it’s utterly ludicrous if you’re suggesting he does that in the regular season. He’d get torched, and nobody should enter the season without being ready to go full-strength. Go to Fangraphs and look at his Pitch f/x data. There are velocity charts there that map out his velo as the season progresses, including the beginning of the season, and nowhere does his fastball start in the 80’s. The chart goes back to the ’07 season, so it’s covering the “for years” period of time you’re referring to.
“Two years” is a way of saying “two seasons.” Which, at the end of the 2011 season, was accurate enough. You’re just nitpicking the data I’m presenting. Jarrod Parker had TJ after the ’09 season as well (not immediately after, he delayed it trying to rehab w/o surgery), and his velocity was back to pre-surgery levels as early as April of ’11 (first year back on the mound after surgery). Heck, it was back in Fall Instructs the year before! If Nathan was going to get his velocity back, it probably would have been back by the end of the 2011 season. There are outliers for everything, but this is what is likely, not what is possible (because, after all, that’s what’s informative).
Spring training and April. Happens every year, maybe not for all of April, but for some of it for sure. Lots of articles out there about it at the beginning of the 2011 season (upper 80’s, lower 90s)…which you seem to be forgetting the lower 90’s part of that.
And I don’t understand how you count a year when he does nothing but let the ligament heal and strengthen as a year of pitching, which is what you’re doing. They don’t even start a throwing program until about four months after the surgery. Meaning Nathan didn’t even pick up a baseball until July of 2010. And in that time it’s just soft tossing.
TJ surgery patients are better with two years of pitching. Nathan did not pitch in 2010. He started pitching (full-on pitching) 11 months removed from TJ surgery in 2011. And the majority of TJ patients struggle with velocity and command in that first year. Not all (Jarrod Parker, your example, Billy Wagner…), but the majority. Those two guys are the exception, not the rule.
It’s not nitpicking, it’s the facts. If you want to count 2010 as pitching (as a “season”), when he did not then that’s up to you. It has only been one year of pitching for Nathan in the real world. One to two MPH’s off of his norm in his first year back is normal. Happens to a lot of them.
Spring Training, not April in most years. The data just doesn’t show that in April on a year-to-year basis. It’s just 2011, which is because his velocity was down from not having his elbow in prime form. He was clearly still hurting, as his DL stint helped his stuff. Fine, I’ll give you that. But even after that stint it wasn’t back to pre-surgery levels, as the chart shows.
How does that year not count? You had the surgery, it’s in the past, and you’re rehabbing. My example, Parker, had his velocity back about a year later, perhaps even a bit less than a year later (depends on the exact timing of the surgery), in Fall Instructionals, not after one year of professional innings (his velocity was back FAR before the end of the 2011 season). It’s been over a year and a half, and Nathan doesn’t have his back. At this point, we can start seriously considering that it isn’t coming back.
Velocity comes back far sooner than command, the last thing to come back. That’s what my belief on the surgery rehab process is. But unless one of us goes and does a study of fastball velocity for TJ recoverees one year removed from the surgery in the last decade, neither of us will prove anything. But if you’re giving $14.5MM guaranteed to someone over two years, I’d want more than a dream and a hope that he’ll have the velocity he needs to be dominant back.
This biggest place where we differ is you counting his rehab time as a season. Reading up on TJ surgery, since the Twins have had many players who have had it, every article I have ever seen on it said that the player is usually better in the second year of PITCHING. Actually throwing the ball in real games. The majority of the players do not have their speed back in the first year, which this past season was the first year for Nathan. I’ve never seen one that has said different.
There are, of course, those rare exception guys like Parker and Wagner, but they are the exception. If Nathan doesn’t get his velocity back by mid-season 2012 (to 93-94) then I could agree with you. As of right now, I can’t because every article I have ever read says it takes two years of actual pitching for both velocity and command. Velocity, of course, comes first like you said.
We’re not gonna agree, dude. I think a year and a half, at most two, years removed from the surgery, you think two years of pitching. Whatever.
Even if it is two years of pitching, like you say, why would the Rangers give the guy so much money now when he’s still not at full strength and not going to be at full strength until 2013?
Regardless, if his fastball average to the same amount as he did last season then he is going to have a lot of trouble missing bats. If he gets back close to his 2008 form then he should be good, but that seems like a pretty big commitment to pay for a guy who may or may not bounce back. Contact rate against him i 2009 is 67.8% and 2011 is 81.2%. A drop in mph can be pretty dramatic even if it seems small. I think he still has a shot to bounce back, but no way I’d do that for $14.5m guaranteed over 2 years. According to pitch fx his velocity started out slowly then went up then went back down again towards the end of the season. Seems like a very normal pattern for many of the relievers out there in the majors.
He struggled a lot in the first half too. That didn’t help. That was his first taste of batters since the surgery. You could tell he wasn’t right yet. He was not located balls the way he used to, but his velocity did go up and his command did get better as the season went on.
And I’m not saying he’s guaranteed to pitch like the Nathan of old next year, but I’ve got a good feeling about it. The second half he was showing great signs of becoming good again. Not all of the numbers show that, but some of them do. And watching him pitch every day helps. Lots of local reporters, fans, the team…they all saw that he was improving as the season went on. The Twins were starting to trust him again and he was earning it.
If that second half Nathan shows up for the Rangers next year then he will be worth the price, at least for the 2012 season. As a Twins fan, I wouldn’t have wanted the Twins to pay that much. I was thinking 10 guaranteed and then throw some incentives in there. I’m surprised he got that much, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he shows that he completely deserves it.
thank you for the insight.
If Feliz to the rotation is the reason for this is this not a downgrade for both bullpen and rotation? Feliz>Nathan as closer, CJ>Feliz as starter? And 2 years of 14.5 million? Don’t know much about the Rangers but not seeing how this is a good move from the outside looking in.
Feliz has the potential to be a #1 starter. The Rangers want to give him the year to get use to starting.
Oh man Ogando,Holland,Lewis is tough..Wonder how Feliz will do
14.5MM?! Wow.
With the new CBA in effect it looks like free agents are going to get larger contracts. Since teams won’t have to give up draft picks, teams will be more likely to pull the trigger.
Good for Joe. Would’ve like to see the Twins keep him, but the last thing a 99 loss team needs to worry about is a closer. He’s got a serious shot at a ring now and he deserves one. Good luck, Mr. Nathan.
Ranger fans: don’t expect this guy to be the answer to any postseason shortcomings. As a Twins fan, it’s easy to see his value as a regular season closer over the years, but in the postseason he is a choke artist.
They’re definitely out on CJ…both he and Joe Nathan wear #36…if that isn’t a sign I don’t know what is. (sarcasm)
Papelbon sure did F up the closers market
The closer’s market has been effed up for years. This is nothing new. Nathan coming off of a down year is making the absolute most I’d be comfortable paying a reliever. Ridiculous.
Paps signed what some team was willing to offer. If anyone is to blame for the resetting of the market, it’s the Phillies.
as a side note though, this is a great early birthday present for him!
We’ll see Texas.
You can see what they’re thinking. But you can’t be sure about Feliz starting. And it’s a pretty good-sized roll of the dice that Nathan makes it back anywhere near what he was before TJ.
CJ WIlson, a California native, will sign with the Angels. 5yr 82.5 mill
i really hope mike adams still gets a chance to close for them. been watching him since he came into his own with the padres. the guy is absolutely lights out. he’s in the discussion for best reliever in baseball over the last few years. since 2008, nobody has a better ERA or batting average against. hopefully he finally catches a break.
He also played in the NL at a park where home runs go to die. His progression to the AL, albeit small sample size, left much to be desired. He is best as a setup man and that is why the Rangers signed Nathan.
his k/bb ratio stayed the same, and his ERA and BAA were still at an elite level. definitely think he’s got more to give than nathan at this point. he doesn’t get too many fly balls, so i don’t see a lot of arlington regression in his future.
Also, I heart your name. Funny haha
This is pretty off topic, but what are the Rangers plans with Jurickson Profar? He’s blocked at his position, but from everything i’ve seen and read, he looks like the real deal. If the Rangers are committed to Andrus, I’m sure he could command quite a bit in the trade market.
He’ll be packaged for an ace if one is made available. Otherwise, he’ll sit there until we see what happens with Andrus. By the time Profar is ready to come up Beltre might move to DH and Elvis to 3B.
That’s sort of what I had figured. I’m not a Rangers fan, but I can’t help but notice how good this kid is.
We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.
so mike adams as the setup man, and joe as the closer?
Yep.
This site’s posting problems are annoying!
Feliz throws cheese with ease. That fluid delivery needs to be pitching 6+ every 5 days. Closers come and go every year.
He’ll get the job done through September (for the most part). However I wouldn’t let him near a post season roster.
Sorry that’s what I will always remember him for. Serving up gopher balls in the NY night. Good riddance Mr. Nathan.
Ive been a Rangers fan ever since ive started watching baseball (im pretty young so thats not long maybe a little over a decade). Simple put this is what Texas does not as a successful organization not as a rebuilding organization but as an organization itself. They put their faiths in their coaches and the ability to develop young talent. E.G. Ian Kinsler, Mark Teixieria, Michael Young, C.J. Wilson, Hank Blalock, the list goes on and on. None of these names I listed were big names when they were drafted or traded to texas. But they became big under the lights of Arlington Stadium. Weather you think this is a smart move a dumb move or a move that a desperate organization would do. This is a move the Texas Rangers do. Is Joe Nathan a gamble? Sure. But I tell you what. If you see a pitcher who you could see starting a regular season for you, ending a losing streak, and starting a post season series, do you not make this move? If you believe in Feliz do you not make this move? That what it comes down to Ron Washington and Mike Maddux believe they can turn this guy into a starter. And after wathcing the sometimes horrific and magical rangers over the last decade, im inclined to believe that they made the smart move here, but only time will tell.
Anybody else think that $7 mil per year is too high? I don’t mind the 2 years really, but for a guy not too far removed from TJ surgery and having a so-so year seems a little sketchy.
This deal IMO is worse for the other teams in need of a closer than it is for the Rangers. $7 mil for a guy who didn’t pitch in ’10 and had an “eh” yeah in ’11? Every other closer on the market is going to want to START negotiations at 7.
$7 mil for a guy that might not (and IMO won’t be) the closer? too rich for my blood.
This deal IMO is worse for the other teams in need of a closer than it is for the Rangers. $7 mil for a guy who didn’t pitch in ’10 and had an “eh” yeah in ’11? Every other closer on the market is going to want to START negotiations at 7.
I would have expected 5MM as a base with incentives leading to 7MM. So it’s probably a bit of an over pay. But if Nathan is healthy it could end up looking like a great deal compared to what some of the other closers are getting/will get. Even if he fails the contract won’t be an albatross that keeps Texas from spending. IMO this move has less risk/possible negative effects on the payroll then if the gave CJ 4+ years at 15M+ per.
interesting signing
interesting signing
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comment removed. guess i’m done trying to reply again..